Life raft



May 1, 1928. 1,667,912

7 C. D. VLAHON LIFE RAFT Filed May 25. 1927 5/2; Chris for: D. V/ahonPatented May 1, 1928.

PATENT F can-Issuer: n. vranon, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

LIFE RAFT.

Application filed May 2;, 1927. Serial No. 194,120.

My present invention relates to an improved life raft for use at sea incase of ship-wreck, and of the type provided with' manually operatedpropulsion mechanism and steering mechanism. In carrying out myinvention means are provided. whereby the raft may be compactly stowedfor propelling and, steering the raft as will be described.

Inthe accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts utilized arecombined and arranged according to one mode I have thus fardevised forthe application of the I principles of my invention.

' Figure 1 is a front view of the raft, at the bow end ,-show;ing;theentrance opening or hatchway with the hatch-door open for convenience ofillustration,

liligiireQ is a detail end view of two sets or pairs of the buoyantfloats, indicating the air compressor and pipe connections for inflatingand extending the floats.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the raft and its housing orsutwrstnutture, with other parts also in section.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the buoyant floatswith its tele scoping ends retracted within the main cyl inder orsection of the float.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the propelling car ng.

It will be understood that the life. raft may be constructed of suitableshape and size, and the deck 1 maybe round, square, or of otherpolygonal shape and its housing 2 of complementary shape. Entrance tothe interior of the housing is provided through the hatch or doorway 8and this opening is closed and sealed, when at sea, by a suitable typeofhatch or hinged door 4;.

The deck and its superstructure are supported upon the buoyant floats,here, indicated as two pair of cylinders 5, arranged at the sides of thelongitudinal center of the raft, below the deck, andparallel with oneanother. These cylinders, which are open at both ends are to be inflatedwith air, and they are fashioned at their opposite ends. with an innerannular packing flange (5 and an exterior, flanged, packing, screw ring6 to form sealed joints with the two telescoping end sections 7 and 8 ofthe floats. inwardly from the opposite ends of the cyl inders and theirinner open ends terminate at the approximate center of the cylinderUnder air pressure supplied to the in terior of the cylinder 5 andexerted against the closed outer ends or heads of the telescopingsections theselatt'er sections are projected longitudinally of thecylinder, until the annular stop flange-s 9 on the ex terior of theinner ends of th sections '1' and, 8 contact with the flanged members 6and G at the ends, ofthe cylinder Thus the length of the parallel floatsmay be extended for the purpose of stabilizing the raft when it isafloat and for facilitating the propulsion and steering of the raft whenunder way. Each of the extensible buoyant floatsis of; duplicateconstruetion and they, are arranged, as in pairs at the sides of thelongitudinal center of" the raft, to insure the proper beam for theraft, while-the extended floats afford the proper length over all of theraft. The floats are secured at the underside of the deck in anysuitable manner as by straps or hands 11) passing transversely aroundthe under portion of the floats and with their flanged ends secured atthe underside of the deck.

For inflating and extending the floats an air compressor of usual typeis indicated by the numeral 11, supported on the dock within thehousing, and air to the floats is controlled by valve 12 in the air pipe18. From this main pipe 13 a pair of branch pipes 14 and 15 supply onepair offloats, and the branch pipe 16 with its two outlets 17 and 18supply the remaining pair of floats with air under pressure.

Manually operated means are provided for propelling the raft when it isafloat, through the use of a handle 19 on the driving, bevel gear 20which latter is fixed on the shaft 21 journaled in bearings in the frame22. This frame is fashioned with a rigid, tubular upright spindle 23that is These telescoping. sections extend swiveled in the fixed bearingsleeve 24 secured in suitable manner to the deck of the raft. A steeringrudder 25 located between the two pairs of floats, is secured at thelower end of the spindle 23 where it projects below its supportingsleeve 24, and as the operating shaft 21 of the operating gear 20 issupported in the frame 22, the tubular spindle is rigid with the frame,and the rudder is rigid with the spindle, the operating gear, throughhandle 19 may be used for steering the raft, and at the same timeutilized for propelling the raft.

The propeller 2G is located in an opening of the rudder and its shaft isjournaled at 2'? in the rudder, with a bevel pinion 28 and acomplen'ientary pinion 29 on propeller shaft 30, for turning thepropeller wheel 26. The upright shaft 30 is journaled in the tubularspindle 23, and at its extreme upper end this shaft is provided with ahorizontal bevel pinion 31 that engages with a complementary pinion 39on short shaft 33 and a pinion ill on the opposite end of this shaft isdriven from the main or operating gear wheel 20. In this manner andthrough these connections the propeller is revolved at comparativelyhigh speed for the propulsion of the raft.

A clutch device 35 is illustrated in Figure 2-5 for use when the aircompressor is to be driven from the operating bevel gear 20 through theuprightor propeller shaft 30. The propeller shaft is provided with aclutch pinion 36 and a complementary bevel pinion 37 is fixed on thecrank shaft 38 of the compressor 11. By manipulating the clutch device35 the power may be transmitted from the operating bevel gear to thecrank shaft of the compressor in order that suiticient air may becompressed to extend the floats and inflate them, after which the clutchis moved to permit transmission of power direct to the propeller wheelfrom the operating bevel gear.

A signal flag 39 forms part of the equipment of the raft and is arriedon the stall 4.0 that projects upwardly through the peak or apex of thehousing. The stall' is supported in a holder 41 fixed in the upper partof the housing and a set screw or bolt 42 is utilized to hold the stallin adjusted position for displaying the signal flag at difl'erentheights.

In addition to the signal flag, lights or lamps 43 in the upper part ofthe housing are used for signals, and the beams from these lamps shinethrough ports as 44 in the housing.

The raft is provided with various necessary accessories as windows -15and lockers it the latter for storage of provisions, and other features,not shown are of course provided for safety of the occupants of the liferaft.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1- l. A buoyant support for a life raftcom prising a plurality of tubular floats each having tubulartelescoping end sections, and mains for supplying air under pressure tothe floats to extend the sections and inflate the floats.

2. A life raft having a buoyant support and propeller and steeringmechanism, manual operating means for the propeller mechanism andsteering mechanism, an air compressor, and means whereby power may betransmitted from the operating means for the propeller to the aircon'ipressor for inflating the support.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

CHRISTON D. VLAHON.

